The invention relates to a self cleaning pipe system. More particularly, the invention relates to a pipe system which incorporates a high-pressure cleaning system within the pipe itself to facilitate automatic cleaning of the pipe.
Pipes are most efficient when they are carrying only liquids. When carrying a pure liquid, an ordinary pipe can carry the liquid a considerable distance while requiring only minimal pumping energy to sustain flow.
However, difficulties occur when piping viscous liquids, or liquids containing large solids. Often the solids can accumulate at a certain point in the pipe, causing a "clog". A clog can either slow the flow of the pipe, thus requiring greater energy to pump the liquid through the pipe, or can stop flow completely--especially in low pressure pipes.
Sewer pipes are particularly susceptible to clogs. They typically have a considerable quantity of solids passing through, and have an overall low pressure flow. This combination of low pressure and high concentration of solids leads to frequent clogging problems. Toilet tissue can increase the tendency to clog by facilitating the formation of large clumps with other solids.
The problem with clearing clogs from sewer pipes is that they are difficult to access. Most sewer pipes are buried in the ground, leaving very few points where access can be obtained. Sometimes clearing a clog actually requires excavation to reach the clogged pipe. Overall, a clog can be an expensive and time consuming operation. Further, it can require that the pipe be taken "off-line" for a significant time until the clog is cleared.